Saints rushing attack improving (1 Viewer)

[St.Fury]

Prior to our BYE week, we had only ONE game in which we rushed for over 100 yards as a team. After the BYE, we only had ONE game in which we DIDN'T rush for over 100 yards. In two of those games, we busted out 200+ on the ground. AND Drew still had 300+ passing games. My question is, what is the key factor? What's made the difference? Is it a specific player? Is it oline continuity?


Vs Rams - 209 Yds
Vs Car - 107 yds
Vs Den - 103 yds
Vs 49ers - 248 yds
Vs Sea - 123 yds
Vs KC - 104 yds

Vs Car - 63 yds
BYE
Vs SD - 83 yds
Vs Atl - 115 yds
Vs NYG - 41 yds
Vs Oak - 88 yds

 

[Bartyboy]

Love that the running game is working. Haven't checked but how does the number if running plays compare?

 

[TheSaint619]

Ingram has been a monster ever since the 9ers game. Our 1-2 punch with him and Hightower has been deadly.

 

[St.Fury]

Love that the running game is working. Haven't checked but how does the number if running plays compare?

I'm not sure. I didn't look at those numbers.

 

[bobad]

I'm noticing a lot more holes. Ingram needs an early hole, and he's off to the races. Hightower gets better with more carries. If they keep feeding him the ball, he starts popping big ones.

Future opponents will have to respect our running game, and that will slow down their pass rush. Effective running will also make our screens more effective.

 

[kcirdor]

This is what happens when you commit to running the football.

 

[St.Fury]

This is what happens when you commit to running the football.

I still don't believe it's a "commitment" issue.

I'm noticing a lot more holes. Ingram needs an early hole, and he's off to the races. Hightower gets better with more carries. If they keep feeding him the ball, he starts popping big ones.

Future opponents will have to respect our running game, and that will slow down their pass rush. Effective running will also make our screens more effective.

Holes. That's what I think I'm seeing more of. I was trying not to give my opinion away in the OP in order to see what others saw. It looks to me that our oline is doing a better job of blocking. Not just a the point of attack, opening holes. It also looks like they, and Kuhn are doing a much better job at getting to the second level and blocking down field, opening longer runs.

That's what my non-expert eyes are seeing.

 

[dutar76]

I don't think there is a pattern. It's just that our defense was getting ripped to shreds, especially at the end of games when they'd been on the field way too long. I believe that our coaches realized that the quick score offense was killing our undermanned defense, and that became the message. We have to run the ball and run the ball successfully.

In games where our opponents were able to slow down our big play threat, we were left with nothing and our defense was left with nothing in the tank in the 4th. (Raiders and Giants games for example). So coach P put his genius to work making our run game viable, and more importantly, he stuck with it even when it struggled.

The 200yds one week 100yds the next week swing probably has more to do with who we were playing than anything else. Our O-line seems to have gelled, and now that our defense is looking like an asset than a liability, we have a team clicking on all cylinders and everything seems to work.

The only reason we're not leading the division right now is 3 blocked kicks and the NFL mandating that we lost to the Raiders in week 1.

 

[kcirdor]

I still don't believe it's a "commitment" issue

The Saints would abandon the run in a heart beat before Payton finally said for probably the 20th time as Coach of the Saints that we will commit to the running game and admitted he had a an issue abandoning it. Heck it is his biggest weakness as a play caller and that is a well known fact. Parcels has multiple quotes on Payton abandoning the run. While Carmicheal has been calling plays most of the season, Payton still controls the offense.

The Broncos game we got away from the run in a game that we probably should have ran it 40 times.

 

[SaintsFanInLA]

I'm noticing a lot more holes. Ingram needs an early hole, and he's off to the races.

That's what...

 

[St.Fury]

The Saints would abandon the run in a heart beat before Payton finally said for probably the 20th time as Coach of the Saints that we will commit to the running game and admitted he had a an issue abandoning it. Heck it is his biggest weakness as a play caller and that is a well known fact. Parcels has multiple quotes on Payton abandoning the run. While Carmicheal has been calling plays most of the season, Payton still controls the offense.

The Broncos game we got away from the run in a game that we probably should have ran it 40 times.

I think abandoning the run was mostly a result of the running game not being productive enough combined with the defense not being good enough to stop our opponents. Now, our running game is being more productive because the line is opening more holes, giving us more confidence in the running game and opening more down and distances where a run call is a viable option. Along with that, the defense has played much better overall. There's less pressure on the offense.

 

[Vermont Saint]

The Saints would abandon the run in a heart beat before Payton finally said for probably the 20th time as Coach of the Saints that we will commit to the running game and admitted he had a an issue abandoning it. Heck it is his biggest weakness as a play caller and that is a well known fact. Parcels has multiple quotes on Payton abandoning the run. While Carmicheal has been calling plays most of the season, Payton still controls the offense.

The Broncos game we got away from the run in a game that we probably should have ran it 40 times.

Payton is a much better offensive mind than Parcels. I think Parcels lost any remaining standing on the issue when Mike Karney personally outscored the Cowboys in 2006.

 

[Bartyboy]

They have been more running plays since the bye per game. I would have to agree though its been working so they keep with it.

 

[bobad]

I think abandoning the run was mostly a result of the running game not being productive enough combined with the defense not being good enough to stop our opponents.

It's a catch 22. A good running game takes a lot of reps by the OL and RB's. Each opponent is different, and it can take 10-15 runs for the OL and RB's to probe for and exploit the defense's weaknesses.